Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-04-17
THE COWLES BABY.
rae Coroner,s Jury Find Frank
Ayers Responsible.

rhe CorOMerss Jury F1n0 HrahA
Ayers Responsible.
A short time since, it will be remem-
bered. a case of cruelty to children was
brought to light through charge OF tight
ing in which Frank Ayers and Pedro
Garcia took part. At the trial Ayers
was sent to the county Jail for fifty days
and the charge against Garcia was dis
missed, it being shown that he had only
beccme involved by reason of his step
ping in to prevent the beating of Mrs.
Florence Cowles. When the officers
visited the residence of Mrs. Cowles they
found the children in a very pitiful con.
dition, and especially the baby, called
s.Baby Bunting," which was in horri.
bly filthy state, and had been injured
in the fracas that occurred at the time
Garcia interfered. George and Florence
Cowles were tried on the charge of cru
eltv to children, and were sentenced to
ninety paws in the county Jail. Yester.
day morning the baby died and an in
Quest was held in the afternoon by Cor
oner Meredith. The jury. after care.
fully considering the evi ence, found
that the baby came to its death by reason
of injuries to the head and body at the
hands of Frank Ayers. This will neces.
state the trial of that young man for
murder.
The witnesses in the case testified as
follows:
DR.. l. E. Cohn testified that death
was .uperinduced by the injuries to the
head.
Mrs. DR.. Dorthea Lummis testified
that she saw the child about four hours
after the eight in which the child was
injured. The child was very much
esnaciated, and had bruises over the
base of the brain extending over bali OF
the left side of the head. Its back was
raw nearly up to the shoulder blades. Ii
was horribly dirty and in dirty clothes
covered with vermip. She took the
child to the Woman's Home, where it
died from the injury to the head.
Officer P. W. Deckman testified thai
on the 5th of April he was informed that
there was fight over at Cowles place
He went over and saw Pee Garcia and
Frank Ayers clinched and fighting and
saw the child in the arms of Spanish
woman, q sister.in.law of P. Garcia
Mrs. Cowles ran and took the baby from
the arms of the Spanish lady and had il
in her arms when Frank Ayers struck a
her, hitting the baby on the left temple
He then struck at her agaiu and hit th'
baby between the left shoulder and thelef
hip. He had nothing in his hand at tn
time. Mrs. Cowles said that Franl
Ayers was the father of the child an
that they were trying to kill it. Afte
arrestirg the two men, Garcia an,
Ayers, and Mrs. Cowles, he went bacl
and saw the baby. 1t had mark OF
its left Temple, blue spot on its lef
side. and was perfectly raw from it
knees to its navel, in front, and in th'
same condition on the back to its shoul-
ders. Its clothes were filed with yer
min. Mrs. Cowles and Frank Aver
were very drunk at the time.
Pedro Garcia testified that he hat
been told by his sster-in.law that there
was q row in the Cowles house. Sh,
told him to go over and get the baby, a
it was lying on the ground. He wen
over and tried to get the child, bu
Flank Ayers took hold of him and saif
he had no right 40 take the child. Th'
child was lying on the ground, and they
were lighting around and over it. Mrs
Cowles and Frank Ayers were very
drunk at the time.
Mrs. Conception Lopez testified tina
her attention was attracted by fight a
the Cowles house, and she saw Franl
Ayers strike Mrs. Cowles, who had the
baby in her arms. He knocked hel
and the baby down. She then got up
and Ayers knocked her down again, ant
the baby, also. Witness then told hel
brother-in.law, p. Garcia. to go and gel
the baby, or they would kill it. He
went to get the baby, and Frank Ayers
commenced to fight with Pedro Garcia.
Witness then took the baby out of his
arms and took it home.